US2714792A - Carton closing machine - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 9, 1955 Filed May 29, 1953 Fig.

E. w. WRIGHT ET AL CARTON CLOSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Alphonse Morris Thiery INVENTORS g- 9, 1955 E. w. WRIGHT ET AL 2,714,792

CARTON CLOSING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1953 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /a /6 v 48 70 5 I Fig. 3 62 Ernest W. Wright 58 Alphonse Morris Thiery INVENTORS Aug. 9, 1955 E. w. WRIGHT ET AL 2,714,792

CARTON CLOSING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 62 iv X5 Fig. 5

v Ill 40 Fly. 6

. 4?" I8 74 7 /a ,42 k 76 E mes) W. Wright @i Alphonse Morris Thiery \u I INVENTORS 44 1, BY 54 50 flMmm United States Patent 0 CARTON CLOSING MACHINE Ernest W. Wright and Alphonse Morris Thiery, El Centro, Calif.

Application May 29, 1953, Serial No. 358,237

1 Claim. (Cl. 5357) This invention relates in general to improvements in stapling machines, and more specifically to a machine for closing lids of cartons to facilitate the stapling of the same.

At the present time lettuce and other perishable produce is being packed in cardboard cartons for shipment. Inasmuch. as lettuce may be easily bruised and the lids of cardboard cartons are relatively light, unless the lids are pushed vertically to a final closing position, the lettuce will be bruised, and the lids of the cartons containing the lettuce, damaged.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved carton closing machine for use in the stapling operation, which will first move lids of the cartons inwardly toward each other and then exert a final downward pressure thereon whereby the carton lids may be moved to their finally closed positions by a direct downward movement of both the lids and the lettuce or other produce contained within the upper portion of the carton.

Another object of this invention is to provide an im Z- proved carton closing machine which may be conveniently manipulated by a single operator, said machine being semi-automatic in operation and being selectively controlled by such operator.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved carton closing machine which is of an extremely simple construction and which is formed of readily obtainable materials so as to be economically feasible.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved carton closing machine which is relatively compact and which has simple operating parts which are utilized in the carton closing operation and are capable of producing the desired results.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the carton closing machine in its carton receiving position, a carton being positioned and supported thereby with its lids in open positions;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 1 and shows the carton closing machine in intermediate stage of its operation;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the carton closing machine similar to Figure l and shows the machine in its carton closing position;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the carton closing machine in its carton closing position and shows the relationship of the same to a conveyor chute, the conveyor chute being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane indicated by the section line 55 of Figure 3 and shows the general construction of the carton closing machine; and

' 12 are elongated pivot pins 43.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6--6 of Figure 2 and shows the general relationship of various elements of the cartonclosing machine.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the carton closing machine which is the subject of this invention is referred to in general by reference numeral 10. The carton closing machine it) includes a supporting frame which is referred to in general by reference number 12.

The supporting frame 12 includes a plurality of standards 14 disposed in rectangular relation with the standards being disposed at the corners of the supporting frame i2. Extending between and connecting together the lower ends of the standards 14 at the sides of the supporting frame 12 are lower transverse frame members 16. Connecting together the lower ends of the standards 14 at the front and the rear sides of the supporting base 12 are base members 18, the base members 18 being secured to a fioor or the like 20 by suitable fasteners 22.

The supporting frame 12 also includes upper frame members 24, which extend between and connect together upper ends of the standards 14 at the sides thereof. The upper ends of the standards 14 are further connected together by front end and rear upper frame members 26.

Over-lying the top of the supporting frame 12 and extending between the sides thereof are transversely extending support members 28. The transversely extending support members 28 are angular in cross section and have ends disposed forwardly and rearwardly of the supporting frame 12 in the manner best illustrated in Figure 5. Extending between and rotatively carried by the supporting members 2S are spaced carton. supporting rollers 30.

Also extending between the support members 28 is a support 32. The support 32 has secured to the underside thereof a centrally located depending fluid cylinder 34. The fluid cylinder 34 includes a piston 36 which has connected thereto a depending piston rod 38. Secured to the lower end of the piston rod 38 is a transversely extending shaft 40.

Extending between and supported by the standards 14 at each side of the supporting base 12, is an intermediate frame member 42. Extending between each intermediate frame member 22 and its associated upper frame icmber 24 is a pair of vertical frame members 46. The

vertical frame members 46 of each pair are in spaced parallel relation to form a vertical guideway 48 therebetween. The shaft 40 has the ends thereof disposed in the vertical guideways 43 at the sides of the supporting frame 12 and is limited to vertical movement by the same.

Extending between the standards 14 intermediate ends at the front and the rear of the supporting frame The pivot pins 43 ex tend through the standards 14 at the sides of the supporting frame 12 and have mounted thereon for pivotal movement links 44. It will be noted that the end of each pivot pin is disposed in an elongated slot 47 in the associated link 44 so that the link may be both pivoted and moved in a vertical direction. In order that the link 44 may be retained in its uppermost position there is connected to the ear 4) carried by the lower portion of the link 44 a tension spring 5%. The upper end of each tension spring 54 is secured to the underside of its associated support member 28 so as to exert an upward force on its associated link 44.

Carried by each end of the shaft 4i) is a pair of links 52 and 54. The links 52 and 54 have their lower ends pivotally connected to associated links 4-4 as at 56 and 58, respectively.

It will be noted that the link 54 is disposed outermost 3 with respect to the associated link 52 and that the link 52 has an outwardly projecting flange 69 at the upper edge thereof. When the shaft 49 is moved downwardly in response to movement of the piston rod 38, the links 52 and 54 are moved downwardly with the result that their connections 56 and 53, respectively, swing outwardly to pivot the links 44. After the shaft 40 has moved downwardly into alignment with the pivot points 56 and 58, the flange 60 engages the upper edge of the link 54 to prevent further pivoting of the links 52 and 54 with respect to each other.

At this time further downward movement of the shaft 40 results in vertical movement of the links 44 which are now in vertical positions, with the result that the links 44 move downwardly with respect to their pivot pins 43.

Carried by each link 44 is an upstanding arm 62. Each of the arms 62 at the front and the rear of the carton closing machine 10, is connected by a transversely extending guide member 64, which has curved carton guiding ends 66. Carried by a connecting member 68 which connects together the upper ends of each pair of arms 62 and which carries the carton guide member 64, is an inwardly extending carton engaging plate 70. Disposed at the inner corners of the carton engaging plate 7.6 are outwardly and inwardly directed arcuate carton engaging guide fingers 72.

In order that the carton closing machine may be selectively operated from a remote point, there is provided a foot operated valve 74 which is connected to the fluid cylinder 34 by a fluid line 76. The foot operated valve 74 is provided with a foot engageable pedal 78 which may be actuated to cause actuation of the fluid cylinder 34.

In the operation of the carton closing machine 10 a cardboard carton 86 containing a produce such as lettuce 82 is delivered to the carton closing machine 10 by a suitable conveyor (not shown) disposed either at the front or the rear of the carton closing machine Ill and removed from the foot operated valve 74. As is best illustrated in Figure 1, when the carton 80 is delivered to the carton closing machine 14), top forming lids 84 thereof are disposed in upright positions. By utilizing the valve 74 the piston 36 of the fluid cylinder 34 may be moved downwardly to result in downward movement of the shaft 40. Downward movement of the shaft results in outward movement of the lower ends of the links 52 and 54 and the inward movement of theupper ends of the arms 62. As the arms 62 have the upper ends moved inwardly, the lid engaging plates 70 engage the lids 84 to additionally move the lids inwardly and partially downwardly to a partially closed position as best illustrated in Figure 2. At

this time the lid engaging plates 70 are disposed in substantially horizontal positions, a slight distance above the normal top of the carton 80. Also, in the plates 70 as disposed in horizontal positions the stop forming flange has engaged the link 54 to prevent further pivoting of the links 52 and 54. Further actuation of the fluid cylinder to result in further down movement of the shaft 40 results in downward movement of the arms 62.

Downward movement of the plates results in the downward movement of the carton lids 84 together with the downward movement of the heads of lettuce 82. It will be understood that the general downward movement of the carton lids 84 and the lettuce 82 results in the firm packing of the carton without damaging either the heads of lettuce 82 or the carton lids 84.

After the carton lids 84 have been secured in place by a conventional stapling operation the pedal 78 which has been depressed may then be released to permit the piston 36 to return to its normal position. After the arms 62 have moved out of engagement with the carton 80, the same may be moved off of the rollers 30 onto a convenient conveyor 86 at one side thereof for movement to a storage area.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A carton closing machine comprising a generally rec.- tangular upstanding frame, a carton support carried by said frame at the upper end thereof, said frame having opposite sides, a pair of transversely spaced fixed pivot pins carried by each side, an arm pivotally and slidably mounted on each pivot pin, each arm having an elongated slot receiving one of said pivot pins, said arms being arranged in longitudinal pairs and connected together by a longitudinally extending carton lid engaging plate, a centrally disposed, longitudinally extending shaft guid ingly retained by said frame for vertical movement, a pair of actuating links disposed adjacent each of said sides,

each of said actuating links being pivotally connected to said shaft and to one of said arms below its associated pivot pin, a plurality of tension springs connected to upper portions of said sides above said pivot pins, there being one spring for each arm, each spring being disposed inwardly of an associated pivot pin and connected to its respective arm intermediate said pivot pin and said actuating link of said respective arm, said shaft normally being disposed in an upper position with links of each pair of links broken and said arms extending upwardly and outwardly of said frame, said carton lid engaging plate out of alignment with said carton support, power means carried by said frame connected to said shaft and being operable to move said shaft downwardly to pivot said actuating links into horizontal alignment thereby pivoting said arms to vertical positions with said carton engaging plates, overlying said carton support, stop means carried by one link of each of said pairs of links engageable with the other link of each of said pairs of links to limit pivoting of said links to horizontal positions, said power means being further operable to move said shaft, said links, said arms and said carton lid engaging plates downwardly as a unit on said pivot pins against the resistance of said springs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 689,474 Fales Dec. 24, 1901 901,676 Bowman Oct. 20, 1908 1,452,866 Boller et al. Apr. 24, 1923 1,974,165 Stage Sept. 18, 1934 2,584,529 Allen Feb. 5, 1952

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